Portal insulation kit

ABSTRACT

In accordance with one aspect of the present exemplary embodiment, a system provides insulation to a portal. A first element includes a front side and a back side wherein the front side contains one or more tubular structures and the backside includes an adhesive to adhere the first element to a perimeter of a portal. A second element includes a front side and a back side wherein the front side of the second element contains at least one more tubular structure than the first element, the tubular structures of the first and second elements interlock when pressed together to create a seal, and the backside includes an adhesive applied to the back side of the second element. A film is adhered to the backside of the second element via the adhesive.

BACKGROUND

The following relates to insulation systems. It finds particularapplication with portal insulation systems that utilize a sheet ofmaterial applied to a surface via a zipper seal.

Typically, conventional systems employ two faced adhesive strips thatare placed around the perimeter of a portal such as a window, slidingglass door, doorway, etc. A thin sheet of material is then placed acrossthe opening of the portal and adhered to the perimeter strip. Generally,the sheet material is transparent and has low permeability such as aplastic, a cellophane, an acetate, etc. In this manner, air is trappedbetween an exterior member (e.g., window, door, etc.) and the sheet.This trapped bank of air coupled with the sheet acts as an insulator toprevent air from escaping as well as air from entering a room adjacentto the portal.

One such example of a conventional system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.6,141,921 (Leeuwenburgh et al.) which is incorporated herein byreference. This patent discloses the use of a roll of film wherein astrip of double sided adhesive tape is embedded into one side of thefilm. The user rolls the film over a first side of the perimeter of thedoor or window such that the double sided tape is applied to the surfaceof the perimeter. After the tape and film are applied to a first side,the film is pulled down to cover the desired opening of the door and/orwindow.

In some instances the adhesive strip attached to the portal frame doesnot stay in place. There can be several reasons for this to occur. Inone example, the portal frame is not sufficiently clean and prevents thestrip from properly adhering to the frame. In another example, theadhesive employed with the strip is ineffective over periods of time. Inyet another example, changes in environment such as temperature,moisture, etc. can hamper the effectiveness of the adhesive employedwith the strip.

Moreover, a system that employs an adhesive strip cannot be reused. Forexample, once the sheet is adhered to the strip, it cannot be removed ina non-destructive manner. In this manner, replacement requires thepurchase of an entirely new system. Thus, the cost of a conventionalinsulation system can be excessive. A typical user may employ five ormore systems per year and have to repeatedly pay for a new system everytime an insulation system is replaced.

In order to remedy these problems and others, alternative systems andmethods need to be employed to allow efficient and cost effectiveinstallation of portal insulation systems.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

A prior art weather barrier kit is described in U.S. Patent Number6,141,921 to Leeuwenburgh, et al. which is incorporated herein byreference,

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

In one aspect, a system provides insulation to a portal. A first elementincludes a front side and a back side wherein the front side containsone or more tubular structures and the backside includes an adhesive toadhere the first element to a perimeter of a portal. A second elementincludes a front side and a back side wherein the front side of thesecond element contains at least one more tubular structure than thefirst element, the tubular structures of the first and second elementsinterlock when pressed together to create a seal, and the backsideincludes an adhesive applied to the back side of the second element. Afilm is adhered to the backside of the second element via the adhesive.

In another aspect, a method is employed to insulate a portal. A firstbacking element is removed to expose adhesive on a first element,wherein the first element is interlocked with a second element that,through a zipper seal, adheres to a film. The first element and the filmare applied to a first side on a perimeter of a portal via the adhesive.The first element and the second element are applied to one or moreremaining sides of the perimeter of the portal via the adhesive on thefirst element. A second backing element is removed from the secondelement to expose adhesive. The film is folded down from the firstelement on the first side of the perimeter of the portal and the film isattached to the adhesive on the second element on the one or moreremaining sides of the perimeter of the portal.

In yet another aspect, a method is employed to utilize a portal thatcontains insulation. A film is applied to a perimeter of a portal viaadhesive on a first element wherein the first element contains at leastone tubular structure that is interlocked with a second element thatcontains one more tubular structure than the first element, wherein thesecond element is adhered to the film. The film is removed from theperimeter of the portal by separating the first element from the secondelement. The portal is utilized and the film is reattached to theperimeter of the portal by interlocking the tubular structures from thefirst element with tubular structures from the second element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a quantity of film that can be employed to insulate aportal;

FIG. 2 illustrates a detailed view of the zipper seal employed to applythe quantity of film to a portal;

FIG. 3 illustrates a method of applying the film and the zipper seal toa window;

FIG. 4 illustrates the film applied to the perimeter of the window viathe zipper seal;

FIG. 5 illustrates a methodology to apply a zipper seal and film toprovide insulation to a portal; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a methodology to repeatedly attach and remove a filmfrom a portal utilizing a zipper seal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIG. 1, a quantity of film 10 is illustrated that canbe employed to insulate a portal such as a window, sliding glass door,doorway, etc. The film 10 can be wrapped circumferentially around a core12 for storage, packaging, etc. The core 12 can be comprised ofsubstantially any rigid material such as cardboard, corrugated paper,plastic, etc. In addition, the core 12 can have a diameter that issuitable to allow the film 10 to be easily dispensed.

The film 10 can be substantially any semi-permeable material such as aplastic, cellophane, an acetate, etc. In one embodiment, the material istransparent in order to prevent obstructing a view through the portal tobe insulated. For example, a user may wish to maintain a particular lineof sight through a window, etc. after it has been insulated via the film10. In one example, the film 10 is sold in a particular quantity whichis related to the number and/or type of portals a user may wish toinsulate. For instance, a plurality of portals can require more filmthan a single portal. In addition, the size of film (e.g., length) canvary to accommodate various portal types. In one example, a door mayrequire a larger size film than required for a window.

A zipper seal 14 can be employed to adhere the film to the perimeter ofthe portal to be insulated. The zipper seal 14 can be comprised of twoelements (e.g., male and female, etc.) that can be repeatedly coupledand uncoupled in a non-destructive manner. In one example, the zipperseal 14 is comprised of a first and second element each with a front andback portion. The back portion of each element can contain a surfacethat is coated with an adhesive. The front portion of each element cancontain a plurality of tubular structures, wherein the first element hasone more tubular structure than the other. For example, the firstelement can have four tubular structures and the second element can havethree tubular structures. The three tubular structures from the secondelement can be offset from the four tubular structures from the firstelement. In this manner, the three tubular structures can be pressedbetween the four tubular structures on an alternating basis to form aseal.

In another embodiment, the zipper seal 14 can employ a pull tab to drawa first and a second element together to create a seal. In this manner,the pull tab can be moved in one direction to separate the first and thesecond element and a second direction to join the first and secondelement together. In yet another embodiment, the zipper seal can utilizea material on the front side of the first and second elements that allowtemporary (e.g., non-permanent) coupling to occur. For example, thefirst and second elements can be coated with a low impact adhesivewherein a user can separate (unseal) the elements and reseal theelements on a repeatable basis.

The zipper seal 14 can be wrapped around a core 16 to be dispensed inparticular quantity. In one embodiment, the zipper seal 14 can be placedaround the perimeter of a portal to secure the film 10. For example, oneside of the zipper seal 14 can have a side that contains an adhesivewith a backing that can be removed. Once removed, the adhesive side canbe placed around a window frame that contains four sides. The zipperseal 14 can be applied to each of the four sides in a particular orderto insure that a continuous seal is applied around the entire windowframe. In this manner, the window can be sealed to prevent air fromtransferring between an adjacent room and the outside to provideinsulation from undesirable weather conditions.

FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of the zipper seal 14 which includes a maleelement 30, a female element 32, a first backing element 34, and asecond backing element 36. The male element 30 further includes threetubular structures 38, 40 and 42 and the female element 32 furtherincludes two tubular structures 44 and 46. An adhesive 48 is locatedbetween the male element 30 and the backing element 34. An adhesive 50is located between the female element 32 and the backing element 36.

The width of the zipper seal 14 can be substantially any size such as0.5 inches for example. The width of the zipper seal 14 can becorrelated to the size and/or number of tubular structures associatedtherewith. In one approach, the tubular structures 38-46 can becomprised of the same material as the male element 30 or female element32. The tubular structures 38-42 can be offset from the tubularstructures 44 and 46 in order to create a left or right bias. Moreover,the tubular structures 38, 40 and 42 of the male element 30 can bespaced a particular distance to accommodate the tubular structures 44and 46 of the female element 32. In this manner, the tubular structures38-46 can be interlocked to create a seal.

In order to maintain a seal, the tubular structures 38-46 can be shapedwith a teardrop profile. In other words, a portion of the tubularstructure furthest from the male or female element can have a widercross section than the portion closest to the male or female element.Such a profile can help “lock” the zipper seal and require additionalforce to separate the male element 30 from the female element 32 once aseal has been created. The tubular structures 38-42 can extend thelength of the zipper seal 14.

The first backing element 34 and the second backing element 36 can bemade of a material that does not have a high degree of adherence to theadhesives 48 and 50. In one approach, the first backing element 34 andthe second backing element 36 are made of a paper coated with wax orother equivalent material. The first backing element 34 and the secondbacking element 36 can be substantially wider than the width of thezipper seal 14. In this manner, they can be easily removed by a user.Typically, the second backing element 36 is removed prior to the removalof the first backing element 34. In one approach, after the secondbacking element 36 is removed, the zipper seal 14 is adhered to asurface (e.g., window frame, door frame, etc.) via the adhesive 50.Scissors or other means can be employed to cut the zipper seal 14 lengthto accommodate a particular size portal.

FIG. 3 illustrates a method of applying the film 10 and the zipper seal14 to a window 60. It is to be appreciated that the film 10 and zipperseal 14 can be applied to substantially any portal and the window 60 isutilized herein for illustrative purposes only. Once the film isapplied, it can be removed and reapplied as desired. In order to applythe film 10 to the window 60, it can be unrolled from a core, asillustrated in FIG. 1.

In one embodiment, the zipper seal 14 is attached to the film 10 as asingle unit such that the film 10 can be dispensed and adhered to afirst side 62 of the perimeter of the window 60. In one example, thebacking 36 is removed to expose the adhesive 50 which is pressed againstthe first side 62 of the window thereby adhering the film 10 and thezipper seal to the first side 62. Once the film 10 and the zipper seal14 are adhered to the first side 62, they can be cut utilizing scissorsor equivalent means. Such an application can be similar to the methoddisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,921 (Leeuwenburgh et al.). This methodcan be modified such that instead of utilizing an adhesive strip asdisclosed in the '921 patent, a zipper seal can instead be employed.

After the film 10 and zipper seal 14 have been applied to the first side62, the zipper seal 14 can be applied to a second side 64. The backing36 can be removed from the zipper seal 14 and placed from the edge ofthe zipper seal 14 placed on the first side 62 to the far end of thesecond side 64. In one embodiment, the zipper seal 14 on the second side64 can be placed under the zipper seal 14 on the first side 62 andextend to the end of the second side 64 of the perimeter of the window60. In this manner, a continuous seal can be created around theperimeter of the window 60.

Once the zipper seal 14 has been placed on the second side 64 of thewindow, the zipper seal 14 can be placed on a third side 66 of thewindow 60. The backing 36 can be removed from the zipper seal 14 toexpose the adhesive 50 which is placed against the surface of the thirdside 66. The zipper seal 14 on the third side 66 can be placed adjacentthe end of the zipper seal 14 on the second side 64. In one approach,the zipper seal 14 extends adjacent from the left side of the secondside 64 to the end of the third side 66.

The zipper seal 14 on a fourth side 68 can be placed adjacent to thezipper seal 14 from the third side 66. The zipper seal 14 on the fourthside 68 can be placed from the zipper seal 14 on the third side 66 onone end to the zipper seal 14 on the first side 62 at the other end. Inthis manner, a continuous zipper seal can be placed around the entireperimeter of the window 60.

FIG. 4 shows the film 10 applied to the perimeter of the window 60 viathe zipper seal 14. As noted, the zipper seal 14 is adhered to the firstside 62, the second side 64, the third side 66 and the fourth side 68via the adhesive 50 exposed once the second backing element 36 isremoved. Subsequently, the first backing element 34 can be removed toexpose the adhesive 48 on the opposite side of the zipper seal 14 on thefirst side 62, the second side 64, the third side 66, and the fourthside 68. Once the first backing element 34 is removed, the film 10 isfolded down to cover the opening in the window 60 and pressed againstthe exposed adhesive on the sides 62-68. It is to be appreciated thatthe film 10 can be cut to substantially any desired size includingrelatively the total size of the perimeter of the window 60. In oneembodiment, the zipper seal 14 on the first side 62 is utilized as ananchor point.

Once the film 10 is applied to the zipper seal 14 on the perimeter ofthe window 60, it is coupled to the zipper seal 14. In this manner, auser can remove and reattach the film 10 to the window 60 (or anyportal) as desired. In one example, the film 10 is removed based atleast in part upon seasonal changes. In another example, the film isremoved when access to a portal is desired. For instance, the film 10can be employed to cover an opening defined by a perimeter of a slidingglass door via the zipper seal 14. In one approach, a user may wish toutilize a door insulated via the film 10 and zipper seal 14 periodicallyand thus, remove the film 10 from time to time.

While, for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the methodologies ofFIGURES 5 and 6 are shown and described as executing serially, it is tobe understood and appreciated that the exemplary embodiment is notlimited by the illustrated order, as some aspects could, in accordancewith the exemplary embodiment, occur in different orders and/orconcurrently with other aspects from that shown and described herein.Moreover, not all illustrated features may be required to implement amethodology in accordance with an aspect of the exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates a methodology to apply a zipper seal and film toprovide insulation to a portal. At reference numeral 70, a first backingelement is removed to expose adhesive on a zipper seal adhered to a rollof film. In one example, the first backing element is made of a materialthat does not easily adhere to another surface such as wax paper, etc.The film and zipper seal can be coupled to together utilizing anadhesive or equivalent to prevent separation of the zipper seal and thefilm. The zipper seal can be comprised of a two plastic elements thathave one or more structures that can be coupled and uncoupled in anondestructive manner. For example, the zipper seal can have a firstside with three tubular structures and a second side with two tubularstructures. The tubular structures can be offset from each other suchthat when the sides are pressed together the structures interlock and aseal is created. If desired, the structures can be subsequentlyuncoupled wherein no damage is caused to any if the structures.

At 72, the film and zipper seal are applied to a first side of aperimeter of a portal. The portal can be substantially any openingwherein insulation is desired. For example, the portal can be a window,a door, a sliding glass door, etc. In addition, the perimeter of thedoor can be substantially any shape such as a square, a rectangle, acircle, an ellipse, etc. Typically, the entire perimeter is utilized inorder to create a seal that provides optimum insulation conditions. Inone example, the portal is a window with a rectangular shape, and thefirst side consists of one side of the rectangular opening.

At 74, the zipper seal is applied to the one or more remaining sides ofthe perimeter of the portal. In one approach, a first adhesive layer canbe exposed by removal of a first backing element. Subsequently, thisadhesive layer can be pressed against the one or more remaining sides ofthe perimeter of the portal. In addition, the zipper seal can contain asecond backing element that is coupled to a second adhesive layer. Thesecond backing element can remain in place until the film is appliedacross the opening of the portal. It is to be appreciated that only thezipper seal is applied to the remainder of the portal and not the film.In this manner, the film can be applied to the zipper seal on theremainder of the perimeter of the portal.

At 76, the second backing element is removed from the zipper seal. Thesecond backing element can be a non-adhesive substance that is coupledto an adhesive layer. The second backing element can be located on aside that is opposite the first backing element on the zipper seal. Inone example, the second backing element is comprised of the samematerial as the first backing element. For instance, the second backingelement can be comprised of paper or other material that is infused witha non-adhesive substance such as wax, etc. In addition, the first andsecond backing elements can have a width which is larger than the zipperseal in order to allow a user to easily remove the backing elements.

At 78, the film attached to the zipper seal on the first side of theportal is folded down. In one approach, the film is anchored on one endvia the zipper seal on the first side. The film is folded down from theanchor point such that it can cover the opening created by the perimeterof the portal. In one aspect, the film is a semi-permeable material suchas plastic, acetate, etc. Alternatively or in addition, the film is canvary in size based at least in part upon a change in temperature. Forexample, the film can shrink in size when heat (e.g., from a hair dryer,heat gun, etc.) is applied to the film.

At 80, the film is attached to a zipper seal on the one or moreremaining sides of the perimeter of the portal. In one example, the filmis attached to the zipper seal via an adhesive layer exposed by removalof the second backing element. In one embodiment, after the film isattached to the zipper seal, a heating element is applied to the film toshrink and tighten the film to provide a transparent material. Inaddition, excess film can be cut such that the film does not extendbeyond the perimeter of the portal. Thus, by utilizing this method, aportal can be insulated utilizing a transparent film.

FIG. 6 illustrates a methodology to repeatedly attach and remove a filmfrom a portal utilizing a zipper seal. At reference numeral 90, a filmis applied to a perimeter of a portal via a zipper seal. In oneembodiment, the zipper seal has a first and second element wherein thefront side of the first and second elements contain one or more tubularstructures. The tubular structures can be interlocked to form a sealwhen pressed together. The backside of a first element can be employedto couple the zipper seal to a film. The backside of the second elementcan contain an adhesive material which can be employed to apply thezipper seal to a surface. In this manner, the film is attached to asurface via a zipper seal.

At 92, the film is removed from the perimeter of the portal via thezipper seal. As noted, the film can be adhered to the zipper seal whichin turn is adhered to the perimeter of the portal. In one approach, thefilm is removed by pulling on the film to provide sufficient force toseparate the tubular structures interlocked within the zipper seal. At94, the portal is utilized. In one approach, the portal is a slidingglass door that is opened to provide access to a patio, porch, or otherexterior area. In another approach, the portal is a window which isopened and closed as desired. Utilizing the zipper seal can provideconvenient and repeatable access to utilize a portal. Such an approachcan provide greater convenience than convention means wherein the filmis adhered directly to the portal such that it cannot be removed in anon-destructive manner.

At 96, the film is reattached to the portal via the zipper seal. Thezipper seal can contain two sides with tubular structures that can beinterlocked when the two sides are pressed together to create a seal. Inone approach a first side contains three tubular structures and a secondside contains two tubular structures. The first side can be adhered tothe perimeter of the film and the second side can be adhered to theperimeter of the portal. The first side can be pressed and interlockedinto the second side via one or more tubular structures. At 98, the filmcan be attached and removed from the portal as desired.

It will be appreciated that variations of the above-disclosed and otherfeatures and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirablycombined into many other different systems or applications. Various andvariant embodiments presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives,modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequentlymade by those skilled in the art which are also intended to beencompassed by the following claims. In addition, the claims canencompass embodiments in hardware, software, or a combination thereof.

1. A system that provides insulation to a portal, comprising: a firstelement that includes a front side and a back side wherein the frontside contains one or more tubular structures and the backside includesan adhesive to adhere the first element to a perimeter of a portal; asecond element that includes a front side and a back side wherein thefront side of the second element contains at least one more tubularstructure than the first element, the tubular structures of the firstand second elements interlock when pressed together to create a seal,and the backside includes an adhesive applied to the back side of thesecond element; and a film that is adhered to the backside of the secondelement via the adhesive.
 2. The system according to claim 1, whereinthe first and second element are comprised of plastic.
 3. The systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the portal is one of a window, a door, anda sliding glass door.
 4. The system according to claim 1, wherein thefilm is a semi-permeable plastic.
 5. The system according to claim 1,wherein a heating element is applied to the film after it has beenapplied to the portal to shrink the film.
 6. The system according toclaim 1, wherein the film is applied to the perimeter of the portal viathe first and second elements.
 7. The system according to claim 1,wherein the tubular structures run parallel to the direction the firstand second elements are applied.
 8. The system according to claim 1,wherein the tubular structures of the first and second elements have ateardrop profile.
 9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the filmcan be removed from the perimeter of the portal by applying force to thefilm to separate the interlocked tubular structures adhered thereto. 10.The system according to claim 9, wherein the interlocked tubularstructures can be separated without damaging one or more of the firstelement, the second element, the film or the tubular structures.
 11. Thesystem according to claim 9, wherein the tubular structures areinterlocked again after separation has occurred.
 12. The systemaccording to claim 1, further including: a first backing element that isapplied to the adhesive on the back side of the first element; and asecond backing element that is applied to the adhesive on the back sideof the second element.
 13. The system according to claim 12, wherein thefirst backing element and the second backing element are at least one ofcoated and infused with a non-adhesive substance.
 14. The systemaccording to claim 12, wherein the first and the second elements areinterlocked, drawn into particular lengths and wound around a core. 15.The system according to claim 1, wherein the film is adhered to thesecond element and wound around a core.
 16. The system according toclaim 15, wherein the second element is interlocked with the firstelement wherein the first backing element and the second backing elementare attached to the first and second elements.
 17. A method ofinsulating a portal, comprising: removing a first backing element toexpose adhesive on a first element, wherein the first element that isinterlocked with a second element that, through a zipper seal, adheresto a film; applying the first element and the film to a first side on aperimeter of a portal via the adhesive; applying the first element andthe second element to one or more remaining sides of the perimeter ofthe portal via the adhesive on the first element; removing a secondbacking element from the second element to expose adhesive; folding thefilm down from the first element on the first side of the perimeter ofthe portal; and attaching the film to the adhesive on the second elementon the one or more remaining sides of the perimeter of the portal. 18.The method of claim 17, wherein the zipper seal includes: a firstelement that includes a front side and a back side wherein the frontside contains one or more tubular structures and the backside includesan adhesive to adhere the first element to a perimeter of a portal; anda second element that includes a front side and a back side wherein thefront side of the second element contains at least one more tubularstructure than the first element, the tubular structures of the firstand second elements interlock when pressed together to create a seal,and the backside includes an adhesive applied to the back side of thesecond element.
 19. The method of claim 17, further including: applyingheat to the film to cause shrinkage.
 20. A method of utilizing a portalthat contains insulation, comprising: applying a film to a perimeter ofa portal via adhesive on a first element wherein the first elementcontains at least one tubular structure that is interlocked with asecond element that contains one more tubular structure than the firstelement, wherein the second element is adhered to the film; removing thefilm from the perimeter of the portal by separating the first elementfrom the second element; utilizing the portal; and reattaching the filmto the perimeter of the portal by interlocking the tubular structuresfrom the first element with tubular structures from the second element.